Mitochondrial DNA structure of the Iberian populations of the white-clawed crayfish, Austropotamobius italicus italicus (Faxon, 1914)
文摘
This study describes the mitochondrial structure of the Iberian population of the white-clawed crayfish Austropotamobius italicus under a phylogeographyc context and considering the genetic variation of the entire taxon distributed in the southern part of Europe. Current sub-specific hypotheses were only partially supported, and a genetic structure related to climatic events is postulated as the main factor explaining its variation. Due to a more extensive sampling and sequencing strategy, the two different mitochondrial lineages of the taxon were found in the Iberian Peninsula, and haplotype variation of populations was observed in a considerable extent regarding that reported in previous studies from other parts of its distribution range. This evidence, together with the timing of Pleistocene expansion events for the Iberian populations (10,772–20,004 YBP) as well as an estimated splitting time from Italian populations previous to the last glacial maximum (T = 34,858 years) suggest that the presence of A. italicus in the Iberian Peninsula could be explained by a combination of contrasting dispersal histories and a complex biogeographic scenario. We propose that although possible, human translocations may not be the only cause to explain the complex distribution patterns of species strongly affected by recent climatic events.
